Tie strip



Nov. 12, 1968 R. F. Goonwm 3,4o9,948

TIE STRIP Filed Feb. 8. 1988 INVENTOR. fer [w/ww BY l //MZ I 3,409,948 TIE STRIP Robert F. Goodwin, Santa Ana, Calif., assignor to Royal Industries, Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 704,060 Claims. (Cl. 24-16) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of thie invention-This invention relates to apparatus for tying articles and more particularly to ties constructed of different materials which are s-andwiched together in a manner permitting the imprinting of an exteror surface of the tie.

State of the prior art- The prior art knows a large variety of different tie materials. They include strings, wires, adhesive tapes, etc. More recently, ties having a pair of plastic ribbons bonded together and a Wire disposed between the ribbons have become widely accepted. Such a tie is shown and described in U.S. Patent 2,767,- 113. It is also known to make tie strips out of sheets of paper which are suitably bonded together and have a Wire sandwiched therebetween. U.S. Patent 3,068,l35 discloses-such a tie.

The tie shown in Patent 2,767,113 includes a large number of desirable features. Most importantly, it is attractive and thus ideally suited for merchandising, it is easily handled and adapted to be dispensed in automatic tying machines, and it is heat, water, and generally Weather resistant. The Wire disposed between the plastic ribbons gives the tie the necessary strength and permits its use for tying even large articles. The plastic ribbons give it its appealing appearance.

As also described in the above referred to patent the tie disclosed therein can be manufactured in long length for later use. The use of plastic material, generally polyvinyl chloride, makes the ties somewhat expensive as compared to the paper ties disclosed in Patent 3,068,135.

Where the tie is used in merchandising, say for tying bags, it is often desirable to print advertising matter, prices, etc. on the tie. This is diflicult to vdo on plastic ribbons because printed matter does not adhere to it well.

It requires special printing equipment and the printing must take place prior to the forming of the tie. This limits the interchangeability of the tie for various applications, requires the stocking of a selection of ties having different prints, and therefore increases its cost.

The paper tie, on the other hand, has a surface well suited for being imprinted. However, to be imprinted after the tie has been formed it must have a flat exterior surface. The tie disclosed in Patent 3,068,135 does not have such a surface. Printing is therefore generally done on one prior to the forming of the tie.

Paper ties are additionally vulnerable to moisture, which causes it to open up, and are not well suited for repeated use because stresses developed in the tie while it is twisted to an article tend to open it, the Wire becomes detached from the paper. The many advantages atforded by the plastic tie have made it generally accepted on the market, particularly where it is likely to be subjected to 3,409,948 Patented Nov. 12, 1968 moisture. There eXists, however, at the present a need 'for a tie which combines the advantages of the plastic tie With low manufacturing costs as well as adaptability of the paper tie to receive printed matter.

Summary o the invention Briefly, the present invention provides a tying strip in which an elongated plastic ribbon is bonded to a paper ribbon in a face-to-face relation. The plastic ribbon includes a longitudin-al channel and a Wire dsposed therein between the ribbons of a diameter which is no more than the depth of the channel. A cementitious coating is applied to the wire and the paper ribbon for bonding them to the plastic ribbon.

Preferably, the plastic -ribbon is a polyvinyl chloride ribbon and the cementitious coatings include a vinyl resin which, when subjected to heat, enter a bond With the plastic ribbon.

This tie substantially reduces the cost as compared to prior art plastic ties. The more expensive plastic ribbon is replaced by a low cost paper ribbon. By impregnating the paper ribbon with the thermoplastic adhesive its bond with the plastic ribbon is about -as strong as if both ribbons were constructed of a thermoplastic material. Its manufacturing costs are therefore lower and in any event no more than those of all plastic ties.

The Wire is embedded in the channel of the plastic ribbon, thereby assuring the paper ribbon to be flat. Its exterior surface can therefore be readily imprinted even after the tie has been formed. Thus, one tie can be used for a variety of applications by imprinting it just prior to its use. Inventories and costs can thereby be reduced. When applied to an article the tie has the 'attractive appearance of an all plastic tie since it can be applied to the article such that the plastic ribbon faces the exterior. It can be utilized in `automatic tying apparatus presently dispensing plastic ties and it can be imprinted in such a tying machine.

Thus, while retaining most of the advantages of modern plastic ties and adding new ones thereto, the tie of this invention permits cost reductions in its manufacture.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tie constructed in accordance with the present invention; t V

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional end view of the tie shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified tie constr-ucted in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged bottom view, with parts broken away, of the tie shown in FIG. 1.

Description o the preerred elmbodiments Referring to FIGS. l and 2, a tie 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention includes first and second elongated ribbons 12 and 14, respectively, and, disposed between the ribbons, an elongated Wire 16. The ribbons and the Wire are bonded together as more fully described hereinafter. In use the tie is twisted around an article (not shown) to be tied such as a paper bag, for example.

The first ribbon 12 is constructed of a plastic material and includes an elongated, longitudinally extending channel 18 at about the center of the ribbon. The channel has a depth which is no less .and preferably more than the diameter of the Wire 16 for the reasons which are more fully set forth in the above referred to United States Patent 2,76'7,113. Briefly, if the channel has a depth which is greater than the diameter of the Wire, the wire is fully embedded by the channel and permits a better bond both between it and the first ribbon 12 and also between the two ribbons 12 and 14. At the same time it enables the second ribbon to remain flat.

To assure a secure bond between the wire 16 and the first tie 12 the wire is given a cementitious coating 20 on its exterior which adheres to the plastic tie.

The second ribbon 14 is constructed of paper and a face 22 of it adjacent the plastic ribbon 12 is impregnated with cementitious coat 24. The adhesive coat 24 on the paper ribbon bonds it to the plastic ribbon to form the tie 10.

Referring to FIG. 3, a tie 26 is shown to include a pair of spaced-apart, substantially parallel wir-es 28 which are disposed between a plastic ribbon 30 and a paper ribbon 32. The plastic ribbon defines a pair of Channels 34 which have a configuration identical to that of channel 18 of the tie shown in FIG. 2. The paper ribbon as well as the wires are provided with a cementitious coating for bonding them to the plastic ribbon 30 in the manner described above. This tie is particularly well adapted for tying larger articles or for tying a plurality of articles together since it is substantially Stronger than the tie 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Its strength can, of course, be further increased by adding additional wires and correspondingly enlarging the width of the tie.

A presently preferred tie 10 and one with which best results have been obtained includes a plastic ribbon 12 constructed of a thin polyvinyl chloride Sheet. The paper ribbon 14 is constructed of special long fiber extensible paper. It is coated with a thin layer of an adhesive including a Vinyl resin which is dried on the paper face 22 and which enters into a bond with the plastic tie 12 when subjected to elevated temperatures.

This tie, ranging in width from about one-eighth inch to about one-half inch per each wire strand has embedded therein a twenty-six gauge wire 16. The Wire is also coated with a Vinyl resin containing adhesive to bond it to the plastic ribbon.

All parts are brought together in axial alignrnent with each other, heated, and pressed together. The cementitious coatings thereby enter into a bond with adjacent portions of the plastic ribbon. Thereafter the tie is cooled to set and solidify the bond.

The tie is applied to an article (not shown) in any con- Venient manner, either manually or automatically with the help of now widely available tying apparatus. Referring to FIG. 4, the tie can be provided with printed matter 35 on a face 36 of the paper ribbon 14. Preferably, the printing is applied to the tie after it has been formed to not limit the tie to one particular |use. Printing subsequent to the forming of the tie is made possible by maintaining ribbon 14 and its face .35 flat and by constructing the ribbon of an imprintable material such as paper.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for tying articles comprising an elongated plastic ribbon defining a longitudinally extending channel, an elongated paper ribbon bonded to the plastic ribbon in face-to-face relation, the paper ribbon having a cementitious coating for bonding it to the plastic ribbon, a Wire t disposed in the channel between the ribbons, the channel having a depth at least equal to the diameter of the wire, and a cementitious coating on the wire for bonding the wire to the plastic ribbon.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plastic ribbon is a polyvinyl chloride ribbon and the cementitious coating on the paper ribbon includes a Vinyl resin.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the paper ribbon is constructed of a long-fiber extensible paper.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a plurality of spaced-apart, substantially parallel wires disposed between the ribbons.

5. Apparatus for tying :articles comprising an elongated polyvinyl chloride ribbon defining a longitudinally extending channel, an elongated, flat paper ribbon having at least one of its faces impregnated with a cementitious coating including a Vinyl resin, a Wire having a cementitious coating on its exterior and disposed in the channel and bonded to the polyvinyl chloride ribbon, the channel having a depth which is at least as great as the diameter of the wire, said coated face of the paper ribbon being disposed adjacent the polyvinyl chloride ribbon and bonded thereto by the Vinyl resin coating.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the cementitious coating on the wire also includes a Vinyl resin.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the paper ribbon is constructed of long-fiber extensible paper.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein an exterpior surface of the paper ribbon is flat and adapted to be imprinted.

9. Apparatus for tying articles comprising an elongated polyvinyl chloride ribbon defining a longitudinally extending channel, a wire having a cementitious coating on its exterior, the channel being sufliciently wide and deep to enable complete insertion of the wire therein such that the Wire does not project past an open side of the channel, the -wire being bonded to the polyvinyl ribbon, and a ribbon constructed of a long-fiber extensible paper having a side facing the polyvinyl ribbon coated with a cementitious coating including a Vinyl resin, said side of the paper ribbon being bonded to the polyvinyl ribbon, an exterior side of the paper ribbon being flat and thereby capable of being imprinted.

10. Apparat'us as defined in claim 9 wherein the Wire is a twenty-six gauge wire.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.167,466 1/1916 Angier 156-179 XR 2,224,050 12/1940 Hermann et al. 156-179 XR 2,767,113 10/1956 Bower 156-179 XR 3,370,328 2/1968 Hilton 24-16 FOREIGN PAT ENTS 974,419 9/ 1950 France.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examner. 

